Trip Advisor has released its annual Traveler’s Choice Awards, including specific “Best of the Best” categories for distinct types of restaurants.The list of the 25 best casual restaurants in the world spans eateries across several continents, primarily featuring European spots.These winners are based on customer reviews from the entirety of 2024, in addition to evaluation of other factors like quality of service.
If you’re looking to plan a trip full of delicious food that doesn’t require sitting at white tablecloth restaurants and fine dining hot spots, there’s never been a better time to go ahead and book your tickets.
Tripadvisor’s annual Traveler’s Choice Awards just crowned the top restaurants around the world, and the travel platform’s dedicated list of the best casual dining spots is full of destinations that have wowed fellow travelers without too much fuss.
In its annual rankings, Tripadvisor doles out 25 awards in eight restaurant categories: Fine Dining, Casual Dining, Hidden Gems, Date Night, One of a Kind, Pet-Friendly, Vegan & Vegetarian, and “Tripadvisor’s 25th Anniversary,” a roundup of top-rated restaurants since 2000. Aside from its 25th anniversary category, rankings are based on traveler reviews from the duration of 2024 and consider elements such as menu offerings and the overall service experience.
Across the list of the 25 best casual dining restaurants, you’ll see eateries from around the world, including spots in Canada, Hungary,Mexico, Thailand, and Turkey, with a clear majority of the winners based in Europe.
Let’s dig into the informal restaurants that delivered standout meals over the past year.
The best casual restaurants in the world
Paris’ local- and tourist-loved Pizzeria Arrivederci received the top ranking out of all the casual establishments reviewed on the platform, boasting a near-perfect 4.9 stars based on roughly 5,200 reviews.
This traveler-loved restaurant promises laid-back Italian fare in a cozy space that’s located just down the street from the Luxembourg Garden. Diners can choose from an extensive list of pies topped with offerings like buffalo mozzarella, pistachio pesto, and gorgonzola, all with a deliciously crispy crust beneath. In their reviews, travelers call out the “friendly” and “attentive” service, proving that a courteous experience can go a long way.
“Pizzeria Arrivederci is all about high-quality Italian food. Their thin-crust pizzas and desserts are a hit among locals and travelers, but hidden gems like the grilled vegetables are worth trying too,” Tripadvisor explains in the restaurant’s official ranking. “Plus, with attentive service and a warm atmosphere, it’s no surprise this spot is a go-to for a relaxed night out.”
Coming in at No. 2 on the list of best casual dining restaurants, Metate Cabo in Cabo San Lucas, Mexico, earns top marks for its cocktail program — mezcal is a focal point — and emphasis on fresh, farm-to-table ingredients.
Across the pond, the No. 3 contender, Gascona in Seville, Spain, is a family-owned seafood destination beloved by locals and globetrotters alike.
Out of all the restaurants that made the top 25 list for casual dining, just two are located in the United States: Miami’s Italian-focused Osteria Positano and The Republic Grille in Magnolia, Texas, a suburb of Houston, where you’ll find quintessential Southern fare.
How are Tripadvisor’s award winners chosen?
Within the Tripadvisor Traveler’s Choice Awards, there are two categories of honorific that a restaurant can aspire to: the more comprehensive “Best of the Best” distinction and the simple “Traveler’s Choice.”
The casual dining winners are all included under the Best of the Best category, which “takes into account the quality and quantity of traveler reviews and ratings and ranks the very best accommodations, destinations, beaches, restaurants, and things to do in specific categories and geographic areas, as rated and reviewed by travelers.”
Best of the Best winners fall among the top 1% of all restaurant listings on Tripadvisor, whereas straightforward Traveler’s Choice honorees, which are recognized for consistently earning great reviews, are within the top 10% of eateries listed on the platform.
The travel service — which has roughly 400 million active users each month — examined 8 million global entries to identify its Best of the Best winners in Casual Dining and more. The brand considered those with “a high volume of above-and-beyond reviews and opinions from the Tripadvisor community over a 12-month period” to curate each list.
Tripadvisor celebrates its 25th anniversary
To mark the platform’s quarter-century anniversary since it was founded in 2000, Tripadvisor compiled an additional best-of restaurant list based on reviews from the website’s entire tenure.
Bodegas Mezquita Céspedes in Cordoba, Spain, earned the coveted overall prize with more than 13,000 reviews since joining Tripadvisor, with diners supplying glowing testimonials of excellent service and fresh tapas. This Spanish restaurant also clinched the No. 4 ranking among the best casual restaurants, showing that customers are still loving it.
If you want to see your own favorite casual neighborhood spot on the next list, perhaps it’s time to finally leave that glowing review you’ve been thinking about.
Tripadvisor’s Top 25 Casual Restaurants in the World
Pizzeria Arrivederci (Paris, France)Metate Cabo (Cabo San Lucas, Mexico)Gascona (Seville, Spain)Bodegas Mezquita Céspedes (Córdoba, Spain)Civico 48-steakhouse (Sirmione, Italy)Organika (Cusco, Peru)Casa Brazilian Rodizio (York, United Kingdom)Thes “Greek Creative Cuisine” (Athens, Greece)Kolbizz Sausage & Beer House (Budapest, Hungary)Osteria Positano – Italian Restaurant Miami Beach (Miami Beach, Florida)Da Cicero (Rome, Italy)Beerstro 14 (Budapest, Hungary)Byblos – Fine Lebanese and Levantine Cuisine (Budapest, Hungary)The Balkan Mediterranean Restaurant (Banff, Canada)Makars Gourmet Mash Bar (Edinburgh, Scotland)Naughty Nuri’s (Phuket, Thailand)King’s Restaurant (Paphos, Cyprus)Yum (Belfast, Northern Ireland)Le Mir Comida Arabe (Foz do Iguacu, Brazil)Ayar Meyhanesi (Antalya, Türkiye)The Republic Grille Magnolia (Magnolia, Texas)Cucina 2-4-6 Taverna Pub (Sorrento, Italy)Spinella Restaurant & Bar (Geneva, Switzerland)Orange Chameleon Restaurant and Lounge (Dubai, United Arab Emirates)Petousis Restaurant (Crete, Greece)
Dining and Cooking